Peace & Quiet
by Elizabeth Arian
Summary: A story about Gene Lestrade and his world...with a slight, very slight Ashes to Ashes crossover...
1. Chapter 1

**Peace & Quiet**

**Chapter One.**

Gene Lestrade stared absent mindedly through his office window on to the busy street below and he sighed. He did not feel well. His head was fuzzy and throbbed with a dull, insistent pain. The slightest noise echoed around his brain and made his eyes ache. He turned away and sat down in his chair, turning it from the door to the window, where a faint patch of July sunlight was creeping its way through. The sunlight helped, it was warm and it soothed his tired mind. He closed his eyes and listened to the clip clop of hooves on the pavement, until one clip clop paused, moved again, and then stopped. He frowned as he heard a carriage door shut and two sets of footsteps came running into the building, before long he heard them mount the stairs in the corridor and yes, they were coming to see him; and he bet he knew who the blasted footsteps belonged to. He knew but he didn't move. He kept his eyes closed and his back to the door.

There was a knock, he growled but ignored it.

It came again, harder this time. Again he ignored it.

Again; followed by, "Inspector?"

Again. He flung his head back and sighed, turning in his chair he shouted towards the door.

"Bloody what?"

DC Carling looked sheepishly through the door, a cigarette hanging from his lips.

"Sorry Guv, _you know who_ wants a word." He raised his eyes heavenward and cocked his head back behind him, smiling sarcastically. Gene sighed again and hauled himself to his feet.

"Alright show the bastard in."

Carling smiled and shut the door behind him, Gene stood with his hands in his trouser pockets, staring at the door, before long, the knob turned and in walked Sherlock Holmes, followed by his ever faithful companion the good doctor.

"I have just this second walked in Holmes, what the bloody hell do you want?"

He rocked backwards and forwards on his heels, trying to calm the pain in his head, it wasn't working. Holmes smiled gently at him and leaned one arm nonchalantly on his cane.

"Don't blame your hangover on me Lestrade." Holmes continued, his smile growing wider. Dr. Watson also smiled until Gene threw him a look and he coughed instead.

"I'm not sodding blaming you _for_ it; I'm blaming you for _aggravating_ it. I repeat what the bloody hell do you want?"

"I'm glad you're in such a lovely mood this morning Lestrade." Holmes continued, taking a chair and flamboyantly sitting down in it, flicking his coat tails out behind him as he did so. Lestrade grimaced.

"If you don't tell me in the next ten seconds what it is you want, I'll get DC Carling to kick you out on your arses."

Holmes laughed,

"Oh dear, bad night last night was it?"

Gene coughed and took his seat, his stare fixed on the lanky man seated in front of him.

"I'm warning you Holmes."

"Yes…" Holmes drew the word out until Gene was sure he was going to knock him unconscious before he left the office, "Forgive me _Gene _but DC Carling looks in a worse state than you, so if anyone will be 'kicked out on their arses' I very much fear it will be him."

Gene flashed him a quick smile. The cheeky bugger was probably right, Gene had never seen anyone fight as well as Sherlock Holmes, tried it on himself once, when he was very drunk and Holmes had nearly killed him, he vowed never to fight the man again, drunk or sober.

"Grab a seat Doc, you look like a bloody spare part standing there, or his Holiness' lady's maid." He threw a look at Holmes who smiled back, one finger tracing his bottom lip. Watson mumbled something about indignity which Gene ignored and pulled a chair up next to Holmes. All was silent.

"Well?" Gene demanded, rapidly losing what little patience he possessed.

"Did you know about the abduction of Lord Anson's daughter?" Holmes asked, looking at him now from behind lowered lids.

"Yes. How the bloody hell do you know about it?" Gene scowled at him, why was he always two steps ahead?

Holmes smiled.

"Because I am me Lestrade."

Gene scowled again.

"Well? Gonna tell me where she is are ya?" Gene threw one of his legs up onto the table and crossed his arms over his chest. Holmes smiled in his self satisfied way.

"Not just yet, I just thought I would offer you my services."

Gene smiled, Smug git.

"Ta, always appreciated. That all?" Gene asked, standing up and putting his hands in his pockets.

Holmes smiled,

"Yes that's all." He stood up and picked up his cane, the doctor did the same. As he reached the door he stopped and swung his body round, his legs crossed and eyed Lestrade.

"He's dangerous Gene, this man that has taken her. Do not underestimate him."

"Him? Him who?" Gene asked, his patience getting thinner.

Holmes shrugged,

"It is useless to theorise without data, all I am saying is be careful."

Gene shot him a smile that was far from sincere. Holmes' face remained set as he swept out of the office, the doctor following close at his heels.

Lestrade's smile immediately disappeared and DC Carling reappeared in the doorway.

"What'd he want?" He asked, his Manchester accent strong, the same cigarette dangling from his lips.

"Bloody usual, telling me how to do my job." Gene sat back down in his chair and swung both legs up onto his desk, "Smug git, telling me to be bloody careful!"

"He's got a nerve." Ray agreed, still loitering in the doorway.

"Always has done," Gene agreed.

"What we gonna do Guv?"

"We, Ray, are going to do what we always do, bloody solve it then his highness can come in and take the sodding credit!" Gene spat out the last word with contempt and slammed his hand on the desk. Ray laughed.

"So we search?" Ray asked tentatively, not exactly certain what his D.I was asking him to do.

"No Ray, I thought we'd sit here and wait for her to come 'ome of her own accord, of course we bloody search!"

Again the hand slammed down on the desk and Ray shrank further behind the door, the Guv angry was never good. Gene searched Ray's face.

"What are you bloody waiting for a written invitation? Get moving! And take that bloody plonk with ya."

"Yes Guv." Ray said, finally disappearing and shutting the door behind him. By plonk, Gene meant Constable Collins, newly appointed and getting on every nerve Gene possessed. He closed his eyes again, bloody, sodding, arsing Sherlock Holmes, what he wouldn't have given for a gun during that interview…He let the thought train off and smiled….today was going to be a long bloody day…

* * *

_**Gene Lestrade VERY loosely based on Gene Hunt from the brilliant BBC series Ashes to Ashes and DC Ray Carling also taken from the BBC, Holmes and Watson obviously belong to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle but everything else is mine….taking liberties but still…I hope you enjoy! Reviews always welcome :-)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

It was warm. Too bloody warm. Gene could feel the sweat trickling down his back, how he longed to take his jacket off and feel some sort of breeze. The atmosphere wasn't helping either. It was never fun to stand on guard at political functions – ever. The safe return of Lady Georgina Anson, by that sodding git Holmes, was seemingly a cause for celebration and all of London had come out to show their gratitude and support for Mr. Holmes. Lestrade could have killed him. There he was like some poncy social butterfly in her first season, parading around the room like he owned it, his little lapdog running at his heels, all adoring eyes and quivering moustache. Well Lestrade had had about all he could take. He had just turned to go and find some nice quiet corner to go smoke a cigarette when the darling himself appeared at his elbow.

"All rather ridiculous really." Holmes muttered in that smooth voice of his, leaning on the doorframe and smiling at Lestrade. Gene merely grunted and crossed his arms, cigarette forgotten in the face of the enemy.

"Bet you love this." Gene muttered, refusing to look at the man. Holmes laughed gently.

"Yes, you would imagine a party in one's honour would go down rather well wouldn't you? As it is…" He trailed off and looked into the throng of people, his eyes unreadable. Gene glanced at him.

"You could disappear for a bit. I need a cigarette, bloody melting in ere, fancy one?" Gene cocked his head to the door and Holmes nodded. Together, united in misery; they walked out into he garden. Gene lit a cigarette and passed it to Holmes. He took it and nodded his thanks. They stared at each other for a minute, neither really knowing what to say.

"This should be for you." Holmes murmured, the smoke from his cigarette trailing around his head.

"Don't bloody start that with me, you got the girl back, you can take the sodding credit."

Holmes laughed and blew smoke into the cool air.

"Thank you Gene."

Gene nodded.

"My lot couldn't find a Christian in a church."

He stubbed out his cigarette on the stone wall in front of him.

"They do have their moments." Holmes said with a smile.

"Once a bloody century."

Holmes laughed again.

"Still wouldn't you like some sort of recognition?" Holmes was being persistent tonight and Gene was tired.

"When I do me job yeah. Don't pretend with me that you don't love all this Holmes. I've seen girls less desperate for attention."

"I like to be appreciated it's true." Holmes blew another ring of smoke in the air.

"That why you keep 'im around?" Gene nodded towards Dr Watson, busily chatting to three attractive girls.

"At first perhaps." Holmes agreed, "Now he's so much more than that."

Gene raised an eyebrow.

"Not trying to tell me something are ya?"

"Don't be so ridiculous Lestrade."

Gene smiled.

"Must be nice."

"What?"

"Having someone like that, someone you can rely on."

Gene sniffed and rocked on his heels. Emotion was never his strong point.

"You have that Gene." Holmes' voice drawled.

"I do?"

"You have me."

Holmes smiled and stubbed his cigarette out under his feet. Gene watched him go with distaste. He tapped his lapdog on the shoulder and they left to a round of applause.

"Good God." Gene muttered to himself.

"Bloody nerve." Ray Carling muttered from somewhere near Gene's elbow. Gene spun round.

"Listen you, as soon as you can do what he can do in his sleep I'll let you criticise, till then keep your trap shut!"

"Yes Guv." Ray shuffled his feet and looked at the floor. Gene loosened his collar.

"Lets get out of here, I'm bloody suffocating round all these nonces."

Ray nodded and together they left. The air was cool and it refreshed Gene's tired mind, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Was it true what Holmes had said? That he could rely on him? Gene shook his head and smiled, never in a million bloody years. Sherlock Holmes would have his own mother murdered so he'd have a case to solve, no, Gene decided, if he was looking for a comrade in arms, Holmes certainly wasn't it and as for that bloody doctor…


End file.
